Nike introduces Nike+ FuelBand fitness band, iPhone app

Nike is picking up where the Jawbone Up left off with its recently announced NIKE+ Fuelband. The fitness band tracks your movement throughout the day using its 3-axis accelerometer. Like previous Nike products, the band has bluetooth which lets you share fitness information with your iPhone via the Nike+ Fuelband app. There’s also a USB port that’ll let you dock with a computer and send your fitness information to Nike’s website.

The band tracks time, calories, steps and NikeFuel. NikeFuel is a new metric that tracks your overall movement. The more you move, the more NikeFuel you earn. The band is a powerful motivator andwill turn its 20 colored LEDs from red to green as you get close to your goal. The associated iPhone app will also encourage you to move and praise you when you reach your goal.

The Fuelband goes on sale today at Nikestore.com for a suggested retail price of $149. You can check out the press release below or visit Nike’s FuelBand website for more information.

NIKE Announces New NIKE+ FuelBand –Measuring Movement to Make Life A Sport

New York, New York (January 19, 2012) – NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) announced today the NIKE+ FuelBand, an innovative wristband that tracks and measures everyday movement to motivate and inspire people to be more active. Activities can now be measured through a new metric called NikeFuel: the more active you are, the more NikeFuel you earn.

“The NIKE+ FuelBand is a way for Nike to further evolve the exciting possibilities of merging the physical and digital worlds,” said Parker. “Nike has always been about inspiring athletes, and the NIKE+ FuelBand will help motivate them in a simple, fun and intuitive way.”

Designed to be worn throughout the day, the ergonomic, user-friendly NIKE+ FuelBand uses accelerometry to provide information about different activities through movement of the wrist via a LED dot matrix display. Four metrics are available: Time, Calories, Steps and NikeFuel. Unlike calorie counts, which vary based on someone’s gender and body type, NikeFuel is a normalized score that awards equal points for the same activity regardless of physical makeup.

Users set a daily goal of how active they want to be, and how much NikeFuel they want to achieve. The NIKE+ FuelBand displays a series of 20 LED lights that go from red-to-green as the user gets closer to their goal. The FuelBand syncs with the Nike+ website through a built-in USB, or wirelessly through Bluetooth to a free iPhone app, to record activity and track progress every day. The app interface also provides encouragement and motivation as goals are achieved.

Armstrong said, “What’s great about the idea of NikeFuel and the FuelBand is the way it provides real information and numbers to show how much people are doing all day, every day. That’s what will get people challenging themselves to do more and better their own scores. It’s a tool to get people more active.”

“NikeFuel means everyone can get recognition for activities they do,” said Durant. “It provides a scoreboard for your day and gets everyone moving.” Jeter said, “You don’t have to be an elite athlete to appreciate how NikeFuel can motivate you. It’s an easy way to get credit for activities and compare how you do with others, even if you take part in different sports.

The Nike+ Fuelband will be available for preorder starting January 19th in the US at Nikestore.com for a suggested retail price of $149 (US).

About NIKE, Inc. NIKE, Inc., based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Cole Haan, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Umbro Ltd., a leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.nikeinc.com and follow @Nike.